When exactly did once-lowly kale become an international locavore staple ?

Not sure , but let 's call it 2011 , when Gwyneth Paltow made kale chips on TV with Ellen DeGeneres .

What 's that got to do with a list of great veg eateries around the world ?

We 're not sure -- we just know that , like the rest of the world , we 've been spending more time lately eating plants we 'd never heard of when we were kids and seeking out an evolving supply of incredible vegetarian options while traveling .

From the world 's only city with an all-vegan strip mall to those with large Hindu and Buddhist populations and a huge variety of options , the following vegetarian-friendly destinations have imaginative restaurants with cult-like followings .

Some of the cities on this list are obvious choices , while others , like Glasgow , Scotland , have only recently forayed in any significant way into vegetarian cuisine .

Here are our top 10 choices for herbivores who travel .

Portland , Oregon

From vegetarian/vegan-friendly bed-and-breakfasts to the world 's only all-vegan strip mall , compassionate choices rule many establishments in this city .

We recommend : Natural Selection , the brainchild of California Culinary Academy graduate Aaron Woo .

With European-style decor and fare derived from France , Italy and Spain , this excellent restaurant serves dishes such as chard and mushroom gnocchi and caramelized cauliflower with polenta , using local vegetables and fruits at their seasonal peak .

The menu changes weekly .

Natural Selection , 3033 N.E. Alberta St. , Portland , Oregon ; +1 503 288 5883

New York

The chance of blindly stumbling into a vegetarian restaurant is probably higher in New York than in any other U.S. city .

While there 's seemingly no end of diversity , from raw restaurants like Pure Food & Wine to farm-to-table Candle Cafe , our latest favorite is the amazingly creative Dirt Candy .

Yes , there 's a wait to get a reservation -- the restaurant has only nine tables -- but we love the thoughtful , complex dishes and emphasis on a star ingredient per dish .

Dirt Candy , 430 E. Ninth St. , New York ; +1 212 228 7732

Chennai , India

As the ancient birthplace of vegetarianism , South India is largely vegetarian .

The states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu offer extremely spicy rice-based dishes and curries , while tiffin items like dosas , tamarind and lemon rice are common .

Vegetarian thalis -LRB- platters with a few curries , rice dishes and breads -RRB- cost less than a Starbucks latte .

We recommend : Madras restaurant for delicious South Indian home-style cooking .

Madras , Raintree Hotels , 636 Anna Salai , Teynampet , Chennai , India ; +91 44 4393 9999

Chiang Mai , Thailand

Thanks to a large Buddhist population , Chiang Mai has more than 80 vegetarian restaurants .

Even those that are n't vegetarian-specific offer meatless tom yum soup , pad thai , salads and coconut-milk based curries .

We recommend : Pun Pun , which sources organic vegetables from its own farm . Curries are served on banana leaves .

Pun Pun has two locations in the city : Wat Suan Dok temple or Suthep Road near Chiang Mai University , Chiang Mai , Thailand ; +66 81 470 1461

Glasgow , Scotland

It may come as a surprise to many that PETA named Glasgow the best city for vegans in the United Kingdom in 2013 .

The growing number of vegan restaurants is part of the city 's effort to improve the health of its residents and the result of its vibrant youth culture .

We recommend : Mono Cafe Bar in the Merchant City area .

The bar brews its own beer and offers a home-style meatless menu including refried bean burritos .

Music from folk singers , songwriters and the operatic crowd is a plus .

Mono Cafe Bar ,12 Kings Court , Glasgow , Scotland ; +44 141 553 2400

London

PETA ranked London the most vegetarian-friendly city in the world in 2009 .

It 's still a top site for meat-free eaters .

With more than 130 vegetarian-centric restaurants , spicy vegetarian curry houses are as plentiful as pubs offering fish and chips .

Nowadays , even pubs are serving meatless cuisine and raw food -- notable newcomer Redemption is an example .

We recommend : Arguably London 's most well known vegetarian restaurant , Food for Thought in Covent Garden serves everything from Mexican to Indian dishes , cheese and dill scones to quiches .

The carefully chosen menu is inexpensive and satisfying .

Food for Thought , 31 Neal St. , Covent Garden , London ; +44 20 7836 0239

Seoul , South Korea

While it 's best to double check with the server if there 's any meat in the bibimbap , vegetarian dishes are common on Korean menus .

There 's kimchi , of course , and a wide variety of veggie pancakes and side dishes , good news for any vegetarian visitor who may get dragged to a barbecue restaurant .

We recommend : Traditional Korean vegetarian restaurant Hangwachae in Seoul serves house-made condiments from chili paste to soy bean paste .

Even the rice is made with 20 different Asian herbs .

Hangwachae , Gwanhun-dong Jongno-gu , Seoul 30-9 , Cheong-A Building , B/1 ; +82 2 720 2802

Vancouver , British Columbia

In the last year or so , Vancouver has seen notable restaurants including the Heirloom , The Parker and The Acorn open to meet rising vegetarian demand .

We recommend : The Acorn , which received a Top Ten Best New Restaurants mention in En Route Magazine , the first vegetarian restaurant ever to snag the honor .

Vegetarians , vegans , gluten-free and raw junkies can sample a seasonal menu created with fruits and legumes from apples to Hen of the Woods .

The artfully composed dishes look like they belong in a museum .

The Acorn , 3995 Main St. , Vancouver , British Columbia ; +1 604 566 9001

Jordan

It 's so easy to find vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Jordan where mezze dishes such as tabouleh , hummus , falafel and gourmet Arabic flatbreads abound .

From Beit Sitti -LRB- it means `` my grandmother 's kitchen '' in Arabic -RRB- , located in the heart of Amman , to Petra 's Kitchen , there are good options at nearly every bend of the country .

We recommend : Feynan , an ecolodge in the heart of the mountainous Dana Biosphere Reserve .

In a candle-lit environment , visitors feast on flat breads baked by Bedouins , vegetarian stews , hibiscus juices , falafel , hummus and sticky knafeh for dessert .

Feynan , Dana Biosphere Reserve -LRB- western edge -RRB- , off Dead Sea-Aqaba Highway , Ma'an , Jordan ; +962 6 464 5580

Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia

A melting pot of cultures from China to India , Kuala Lumpur has more than 86 vegetarian-specific restaurants according to online healthy eating guide HappyCow .

Chinese , Malay and Indian cuisines are common .

We recommend : The inexpensive Gopala Vegetarian Restaurant , which features a potpourri of cultural cuisines from Thai to Indian .

The vegetarian satay and vegetarian fried rice earn raves .

Gopala Vegetarian Restaurant , No. 59 , Jalan Thambipillai , Brickfields , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ; +60 3 2274 1959

@highlight

We picked our favorite vegetarian restaurant in vegetarian-friendly cities

@highlight

Cities with large Hindu and Buddhist populations tend to have more variety

@highlight

Even Glasgow , Scotland , renowned for unhealthy dietary habits , is getting in on the veggie act